• At the ceremony, the Minister of Economy, Economic Development and Tourism, Juan Andrés Fontaine, highlighted the government’s efforts to reactivate the Chilean economy, indicating that “we are building better times, we are at the time of construction, the time of sowing.”

President Sebastián Piñera, accompanied by the Minister of Economy, Economic Development and Tourism, Juan Andrés Fontaine, and the Energy Minister, Juan Carlos Jobet, inaugurated the Cardones-Polpaico electricity transmission line. Representing foreign investment of US$1,000 million, it will connect the Northern and Central Interconnected Systems.

Built by Interconexión Eléctrica S.A. (ISA), the Columbian company which controls Interchile, the line will transport up to an additional 1,500 MW from northern Chile to consumption centers in the center of the country and will boost investment in new renewable energy projects.

Minister Fontaine said that “this is part of ‘Chile on the march’ and, with an investment of US$1,000 million, created up to 5,000 jobs during its construction period and used 300 companies as suppliers of the different inputs and services needed for an undertaking like this.”

Asked about the country’s economic situation, Minister Fontaine replied that “we are building better times, we are at the time of construction, the time of sowing.” He added that “we are facing a more adverse international situation, we are sailing against the wind but we will – effectively – create better conditions, better opportunities and give Chileans a better quality of life.”

“The expectation is – suddenly – that economic problems can be solved from one day to the next, but it requires a lot of work and a lot of investment. That is what we are doing, building power lines like this one which mean, for example, that 13 clean energy projects can start operations in this region and, together with those in the Antofagasta and Tarapacá Regions, add up to US3,900 million,” said the minister.

“More than 3,500 high-quality jobs are going to be created here in clean energy investment projects, according to the survey carried out by the Economy Ministry through its Office for Management of Sustainable Projects,” said Minister Fontaine.

During the inauguration, which took place at the Nueva Cardones substation, the live connection to the National Electricity Coordinator was completed, marking the start of operation of the project which crosses 20 municipal districts in the Atacama, Coquimbo Valparaíso and Santiago Regions.